But the [UN Security Council] resolution’s authors did not take our concerns into account, and perhaps most worryingly, they rejected too the simple proposal that the resolution include a clause stating that there shall be no outside military intervention in the conflict. I think that you know what this means.

This means only one thing: our partners in the Security Council and in these procedures do not exclude a repeat of the Libya scenario, although in private conversations on the telephone and during personal meetings with me they have repeatedly reassured me that, ‘Of course we understand that Syria is not Libya’. But the draft that was proposed was a text ultimately opening the way to use force again.

Russia and its partners cannot sanction this kind of action, even though we are gravely concerned about the situation in Syria. But after seeing the way [UN Security Council] resolution 1973 on Libya was interpreted – I am referring to NATO’s arbitrary interpretation – it was absolutely clear that we could not approve the proposed text.

The Security Council members, especially the permanent members, who bear the chief responsibility for the future of peace in our world, have an eminently clear duty to prevent the adoption of documents that, using simple pseudo-legal tricks, can be twisted to open the way for countries to pursue their goals through military force.

At the same time, I want to reiterate the point that Russia will continue to oppose any attempts to use the Security Council to legitimise all manner of unilateral sanctions aimed at bringing about regime change. I remind you that the UN was not established for this purpose, and in any case, it is ultimately up to each people to decide their country’s fate, whether in the Middle East, Europe, or America. The Russian Federation will unswervingly respect the UN Charter’s provisions.

Executive order on fulfilment of UN Security Council Resolution 1973 [3]

August 12, 2011, 09:00

*** the order prohibits granting permission to Russian or foreign aircraft to use Russian Federation airspace during international flights if the aircraft in question intend to fly in Libyan airspace, are registered in Libya, belong to or are operated by Libyan individuals or legal entities, or if there is information giving grounds to believe that the aircraft will be used to deliver personnel or provide services related to military activity, including transporting armed mercenaries or weapons and related materials and equipment of any type. This ban shall not apply to aircraft flying exclusively for humanitarian purposes or making an emergency landing.

Furthermore, the order gives military vessels the power to inspect ships in the open sea, destined for or coming from Libya, if the Russian Federation has information giving grounds to believe that the ships in question are being used to transport personnel for military-related purposes, including transport of armed mercenaries, or are carrying cargoes that include goods, the sale, transport, and supply of which have been prohibited by Presidential Executive Order 286 of March 9, 2011.

The order also prohibits transactions involving money or financial assets belonging to Muammar Gaddafi's close relatives, his entourage, and Libyan legal entities, and bans a number of individuals from entry to or transit through the Russian Federation.